You Are The Love Of My Life
by nsk-emerald
Summary: Not everyone learns to fall in love twice. And certainly, not everyone learns to bring up a seemingly problematic son single-handedly. But with some help here and there, Fred learns both. Fred/Angelina, Fred/OC, AU. -ON HIATUS-
1. Chapter 1

**You Are The Love Of My Life**

**Summary: **

_Not everyone learns to fall in love twice. And certainly, not everyone learns to bring up a seemingly problematic son single-handedly. But with both the ghost of Angelina and the guidance of Aida, Fred learns both. Fred/Angelina, Fred/OC, __**AU**__. A/N: Fred's alive and kicking, it's AU! :)_

**A/N:** So, hello! I am back to write more. This time, an actual, long, story! Whoa. I usually stop at a one-shot, thinking I might get writer's block half-way through the story and I hate the whole hiatus thing. But then one day, I got this idea on my mind, and I just had to develop it. It was literally stopping me from studying for my exams, lol. So there. Came up with this story. It might not be too good, but hey, I'm a first time (long story) writer! Have mercy, please. Please read and review, the reviews and alerts will keep me going without a block. And, just to inform you, the POV will change once in a while, so just take note of that. I don't want to confuse you wonderful readers:) AND I assure you that my future Author's Notes won't be this long, haha. But you never know...I have the tendency to ramble a lot...

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; they belong to the amazing J. . Though, I have to say, shouting out "Fred's mine!" sounds like a fantastic idea. Don't you think so?**

Chapter 1

**Fred's POV**

"Fred, would you just stop pacing around already? You're distracting me!" George grumbled as he tried to recall the ingredients for our new product, the 'Squawk Potion'. I stopped right before him and rolled my eyes. "Well, sorry I'm nervous. It's completely unnatural, especially since I'm just about to propose to my girlfriend of 3 years, right? Oh, how _foolish_ of me," I retorted sarcastically.

It was early summer. George and I were at the backyard of Angelina Johnson's home at London, lazing around under the hot sun. Well, George was. I, on the other hand, was pacing about the freshly-mown grass, my right hand in my pocket as I twirled the small box in it. I was about to propose to my girlfriend, Angelina Johnson, who had just graduated from Hogwarts. No, we weren't one of the immature couples who wanted to get married early just because it was a 'spur of the moment' act, and then grow distant. It was the war that was looming ahead that made me think about our future. Surprising, huh? A Weasley twin thinking about his future. But it was true, I had decided to tie the knot with the one girl that I ever loved. Angelina and I had been really close friends since our first year, and that somehow morphed into love at our fifth year. While George and I had taken off (with much extravagance, might I add) to set up our shop before we graduated, my dear girlfriend had stayed back to actually complete her NEWTs.

And so here I was, pacing around with nerves that were so uncharacteristic of me, waiting for her to walk out of the huge party that was going on in her house. Her parents had decided to throw her a graduation party, and I thought it was my perfect chance to pop the big question.

"She's here, now _please_ stop trying to dig a hole the size of Hagrid's hut with just your feet, and stay calm. I'll be in the house. Awaiting some kick-ass news," he added, grinning as he darted back into the lovely home. I gulped.

"Fred!"

Double gulps.

"Hey Ang," I smiled at her, pulling her in for a kiss. Well, I was allowed a small sense of reassurance, wasn't I?

"Why are you here? Come on, join the party," she suggested, nodding her head towards where the party was going on full-swing.

"Yes, I will. I just need to ask you something before that," I said, as I pulled away a little, wearing a smile to cover my nervousness. But then again, my shaking legs might just indicate that I was a nervous wreck. I almost smacked myself; I'm Fred bloody Weasley! I don't get _nervous_! I saw her eyeing me suspiciously, and widened my smile a little more.

"What is it, Fred?" she asked me, frowning a little. She seemed a little..worried? Scared? _Wait a minute. Does she think I'm going to break up with her?_, I thought to myself. _Well, I better propose to her before she flips._

"Listen, Ang, I know we've been together for just three years, and we're young, and this might all seem too rushed..." I could see her eyes widening, tears welling up behind those beautiful eyes. I just didn't know whether she already knew what I was talking about, or she was still thinking that I was going to break up with her.

"But I love you. I really, really do. I know I haven't said this much before, but I truly love you, and I just wanted to make sure we're...you know, _together_ together, before the war. So.." I got down on one knee. I wanted to do this the traditional way, you see. "Angelina Johnson, will you marry me?"

**Angelina's POV**

I had closed my eyes, expecting the huge blow. He was breaking up with me. I knew it. He had been acting distant and jumpy for the past few days already. I tried my best to control my tears. I needed to act mature! But I still couldn't believe that he was breaking up with me on my _graduation party_. That was just...mean! Inappropriate! Downright cra-

"_Will you marry me?"_

I stared at him, dumbfounded for a moment. Did he just ask me what I think he did?

"Wha...marry? You're proposing to me?", I asked him, my eyes wide open and mouth agape. He wasn't breaking up with me, he was proposing! He wants to marry me!

I could see the hurt in his eyes now. Oops. I guess my genuine question had sounded a little wrong to someone who was down on one knee and expecting a good answer.

"YES!", I screamed, pulling him up and kissed him passionately, and grinned against his lips when I felt him kissing back just as passionately. I pulled back a long while later, and just looked into his eyes happily. Yup, it does sound cheesy, but a girl is allowed to be as cheesy as she possibly could get when she just got engaged right?

Fred was grinning happily, and he conjured a bunch of sunflowers out of the air. He wasn't someone who usually gave me flowers, let alone my favourite type of flowers, so I was a little surprised that he did. He was Fred Weasley; he doesn't do _flowers_.

I took the flowers from him with a gasp, and right when I saw about to hug him again, out of one of the flowers shot a mini-rocket, right up to the sky, and then began the fireworks. I couldn't do anything except watch the amazing spectacle with my mouth wide open. This was actually happening. Fred Weasley was basically announcing to the whole world that he was celebrating his successful proposal in his own, crazy way. Hearing the growing commotion behind me, I turned around, only to see everyone standing there, laughing, cheering and whooping in pure happiness. And by everyone, I meant my family, the whole bunch of Weasleys, and some of our friends who had also graduated. They seemed really happy, excited, but none of them seemed surprised...

"Wait. Everybody _knew_?", I asked Fred, facing him again. "I was the only one kept in the dark?"

"Well, it kind of defeats the whole purpose of proposing when you _know_ that I'm going to do so, right Ang? I mean, imagine what would happen to the concept of 'element of surprise'! A tragic thought, really.." he explained, chuckling as he pecked my lips again. "Come on, my fiancée, I want to enjoy what little time I might have left of being a free and happy bachelor. I've heard the horrifying tales of married men..." And he was off running, because I was chasing after him for already suggesting that life with me would be horrible.

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><p><strong>AN:** So..how was it? I know it might be sudden & short..but it's not even the main story! Hehe. So, please read and review, and feel free to point out anything I've missed out (nicely). No flames, please. And this story isn't beta-ed. So if anyone is willing enough to beta for me, PM me! ;)

And just so none of you are confused, this story starts at the end of the trio's fifth year. So there are about two years before the Second Wizarding War. Just informing so that the timeline is more clear:)

Next chapter will be the wedding! Yay! And you'll find out why I chose this title:) Please read and review! Don't make me sad :(

Pretty please? ^_^

~nsk-emerald


	2. Chapter 2

You are the love of my life

**A/N**: I had only two reviews. I'm sad now :( Nevertheless, I'd like to thank my two amazing reviewers, Cassia4u and alexisjenny. Please continue reading! :D And the hit count for this story is quite high, so I'm actually glad about that, hehe. Just leave a review if you've read it? Yes? Awesome! And so, ON to Chapter 2:)

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; they belong to the amazing JKR. **

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

**Angelina's POV**

My legs were shaking, I could feel them. My heart thumping heavily against my chest, I could feel that to. And the chatter...the chatter of the guests who were already taking their place at Weasley's garden where the wedding was to take place, I could hear that too. Basically, all my senses were magnified, and I was having trouble breathing. Was it normal for a bride to feel that way when she was just minutes away from walking down that aisle and marrying the man of her dreams? Maybe. But I knew that these weren't withdrawal symptoms. Because all I wanted now was to get married to Fred Weasley and become Angelina Weasley. That was just...pure bliss.

"Lina! Are you ready? Everyone is waiting, Dad's here! You're not getting cold feet and ditching Fred at the altar, are you?" my younger sister Noah joked, smirking as she walked into the room in her ruby-red gown; the maid-of-honour's gown. "Oh shut up, Noah. Give me a moment", I chuckled, turning back to the mirror. I needed to make sure I looked perfect. Not that Fred would mind even if I walked down the aisle looking like an old hag, but this was my wedding. _Everything_ had to be perfect.

I traced the small sparkling stones that were bordering the bodice of the gown, smiling at my own reflection. I had never been one who dolled myself up and paraded around the corridors of Hogwarts, unlike many other girls there. I liked to pay attention to what I wore, and how I behaved - that was all. But even I had to admit, I was looking good that day. The style of the wedding down was simple, and it slimmed down the waistline by elongating the torso. With the halter neck that exposed my shoulders and a plunging neckline, I thought the wedding gown had been made to perfection, by none other than the skilled Mrs Weasley.

"Angelina, it's time, honey," I heard my father, and turned around to face the old man who looked so similar to her. "And my my, my little princess looks _so_ beautiful," he breathed out, making my already wide smile even wider.

"Aw, Dad. You flatter me" I giggled, taking a few steps forward to engulf my father in a warm hug. I had only seen it in movies, but the whole father-daughter bond seemed to be more special than usual that day. "Thank you," I smiled into his shoulder, before pulling away.

"Oh you're welcome, honey. I only hope Fred doesn't literally faint when he sees you," Gary Johnson grinned, before holding his arm out.

Hooking my arm around my father's, the two of us happily made our way down to the garden where the ceremony was to begin. Just standing outside the huge tent that was put up for the wedding made my knees go weak. I swallowed heavily, and looked at my father. My father, sensing my nervousness, gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"It's going to be just fine, Lina. Keep smiling, and look at Fred. Everything will be fine. I love you, just know that, alright? Now come on, I need to give my little girl away. Just don't forget this old man," he chuckled softly, tapping my nose affectionately like he used to when I was younger.

I chuckled along, sniffing a little to hold my tears back. This was really happening, wasn't it? I was going to get married. I was no longer going to be a Johnson, but a Weasley. Before I could contemplate further on the other changes I was going to have in my life, the bridal march came on. I looked up, only to realise that my bridesmaids, Katie, Ginny and Demelza, and Maid-of-Honour Noah had already reached the altar. It was my turn to walk down the aisle. I took a deep, shaky breath, and with yet another glance at my father, I started walking down the aisle.

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><p><strong>Fred's POV<strong>

I was nervously playing with the hem of my robe, glancing at the entrance of the tent, and then at the Minister (Kingsley had so gracefully accepted the honour of being one), and then back at the entrance. The bridesmaids and the Maid-of-Honour had already made their way in. Ang was supposed to walk in already, right? Where was she? So was it true? Was George right about Angelina getting cold feet and running away? That git, he had implanted that terrifying idea in my mind, and I couldn't get rid of that thought. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see George grinning like an idiot, completely understanding the fact that his small, stupid suggestion was driving me insane. I resisted an urge to growl and lurch at him right then and instead fixed my eyes on the entrance. Just then, I heard the bridal march come on, and in stepped Angelina.

If I had ever told her she was beautiful when we had been dating, I had no words to describe how she looked like when she stepped into the aisle. Breath-taking, beautiful, gorgeous, angelic...all morphed into one being. My fiancée, soon to be wife, Angelina Johnson. I had never been one who was cheesy and sat for hours describing the beauty of my girlfriend, but that day, that one day, I wouldn't mind doing just that. She deserved it.

I could see that she was nervous. I can see right through her all the time, almost like how I could sense what George was thinking or feeling. But these two feelings, they were completely different. What I had with George, it was a twin thing. What I had with Angelina, it was a different kind of love – the kind that needn't any definitions.

I managed to catch her eye, and smiled reassuringly at her. I saw her smile back brightly, and I could literally feel the world around me dissolve as she took one step closer and took my hands. No one existed except Angelina and me right then. I had even tuned out Kingsley, and I was pretty sure my mother wasn't going to be too happy about that ("Why weren't you listening to him? It is vital to know what marriage is all about!"). But I had Angelina, we were getting married, and we were in love; that was all I needed to know. However, I did manage to catch the "Do you , Fredrick Gideon Weasley, take Angelina Marie Johnson, as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," I said, sincerity reverberating through my voice.

"I do," came the reply from Angelina when she was asked the same question. I grinned. No cold feet, no disruptions, no fights. I was a married man. I even beat Bill at the race to the altar, seeing that he was getting married only next summer. With that, I swept her in my arms and kissed her softly. That would be a first – I'm all into hot making out, not sweet, shy kisses. But I had to admit, such subtlety _did_ feel good.

We had both just made it out to the open, officially concluding the ceremony, when I heard whooping and cheering of my brothers and friends inside. "Let the party begin!" I heard George shouting, and the next thing I knew, fireworks had erupted all around them. "I _knew_ he was behind all the missing stocks at the shop lately", I grumbled, shaking my head at my twin. Angeline simply laughed.

"Fred, this is wonderful! How many people have the honour of having the Weasleys Wizard Wheezes whizzing about their wedding reception?" she chuckled, still mesmerized by the colourful sight. I smirked. "Well, only ones who were lucky enough to capture a Weasley's heart. And you, m'lady, are one of the lucky few," I winked at her, pulling her close for a kiss. But of course, the universe (or rather, my brothers), couldn't stand the fact that I was about to kiss my wife, because they ran out of the tent just to hoist me up on their shoulders, and started screaming "Freddie-kins is married!" Needless to say, I got my revenge (I bloody hated that name!). Just a slip of my hand with the Squawk Potion...and they were all squawking like a bird for the next twenty minutes.

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><p><strong>Angelina's POV<strong>

I couldn't stop smiling. I was married, to none other than Fred Weasley. Oh sweet Merlin, I loved him. Was it normal for the love between couples to grow out of proportions on their wedding day? I wasn't too sure, but my heart was swelling with love every time I felt his hands squeezing mine, or his lips brushing against mine. It felt like as if heaven had made its way down to Earth. Cheesy, huh? That's it, people. Marriage, apparently, makes people cheesy. I'm not complaining, though!

I was sitting at one of the tables, merrily chatting with Ginny and Demelza. People would actually think that we girls were discussing about how exciting it was to wear a gown...or how cute the decorations looked...or how different it was going to be in _their_ weddings...But no. We were discussing about quidditch. Well, all three _were_ part of the Quidditch team. And since I had graduated, I wanted to pass down...what's the word for it? Oh yes, my _legacy_ to my other team members.

Just then, I heard someone clear their voice up on the stage. I looked up, only to see Katie Bell, my best friend, grinning down at me. "Well, it's traditional that the newly-married should start the dance off, so" her grin widened as she looked at both Fred and myself, "what are _you_ two waiting for? Start dancing already! We want to dance too, you know", she said in a mock serious tone, which made everyone chuckle. And before I could as much as turn to look just where my husband (sweet heavens, that sounded good) had wandered off to, he had appeared in front of me, holding his hand out. "Let's grace this already beautiful occasion with our legendary dance steps, Ang," he winked at me, and I placed my hand in his, smiling happily.

He led me to the dance floor, and soon, we were swaying away to the music that was being played. It sounded so familiar...

"You are the love of my life..." Fred started to sing softly to me, and my eyes brightened. It was my favourite Muggle song!

"I had requested it especially for you," I heard him say, and I looked up at him, unable to put into words just how sweet that was. He hated this song. Well, not exactly, but he thought it was a little too...sappy? But here he was, willing to allow that song to be the first song we were dancing to as man and wife, all because I loved the song. "I love you," I simply said, to which he smiled and leaned forward to kiss me. "So do I, my love." I could distinctly hear both my mum and Molly sniffing, probably due to the happy tears they've been shedding since we had both said 'I do".

_You Are the Love Of My Life  
>I knew it right from the start<br>The moment I looked at you  
>You found a place in my heart<em>

I slowly started swaying to the music, smiling as I refused to look at anyone else except Fred. It wasn't that hard; he was looking more handsome than usual that day. With his dark robes that went well against his slightly pale complexion and the combed hair (for once, he agreed to comb it. Thank Merlin! Not that I dislike it being tousled...) and the radiant smile that never seemed to leave his face, he was probably the best looking man there that day. But then again, doesn't he _always_ look good to me?

_You Are The Love Of My Life  
>You give me reason to live<br>You taught me how to be strong  
>With you is where I belong<em>

Fred twirled me around, and out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a few couples join in the dance. Instinctively, I pressed against Fred a little more closely, feeling his warmth engulf me in a way nobody else's had. I was still suffering from my 'shy-syndrome', as named by Fred. I still remembered how asocial I had been when I started off at Hogwarts: a shy girl who had troubles socialising. And then one day, this friendly redhead befriended me; the next thing I knew, I was helping him and his twin out with their pranks. If Fred hadn't been attempted to be friendly with me...well, Merlin knew I'd still have been that shy, quiet, friendless girl. But there was no need to think about that on my wedding day, right? I was here in his arms, and dancing to one of my favourite songs, and that was all I needed.

_No one's ever touched me_  
><em>Quite the way you touched me<em>  
><em>People search a life time<em>  
><em>To find what we have<em>

"This song is -hic- so _perverted!_... Touching? -hic - Where?" I heard a loud slur come from the right side of me, and turned around to see a very drunk Lee Jordan, swaying his hips in an odd manner. The men around him burst out laughing, and George promptly fell off his chair laughing. Seemed like he was drunk too. "Your friends are so dirty-minded," I commented, shaking my head and rolling my eyes. Fred smirked. "That they are. But my sweet wife, they are the reason I am dirty-minded too. And wouldn't you not I rather be dirty-minded? It would kind of make our honeymoon more enjoyable, y'know?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. I gasped and hit his shoulder lightly, in an attempt to hide the fact that I was blushing.

_You Are The Love Of My Life  
>One thing that makes sense in this life<br>I'll spend the rest of my days  
>Just loving you...<em>

By now, most of the couples had joined in, unable to resist the urge anymore; it _was_ a really romantic song to dance to. And to have that played at my wedding just made the occasion so much more magical. My eyes were still on my life companion, whose own eyes had never left my dark ones. "I'm beginning to like this song, Angie. The song seems to sound so much better like this. We should do this more often", he suggested, grinning a little as he indicated the slow dance we were enjoying. "Aha, so _finally _Mr Macho Weasley enjoys the beauty of this song!" I smirked triumphantly. "No, I'm just enjoying _your _beauty," he whispered into my ear, sending thrills of pleasure down my spine. This man was going to drive me mad.

_You Are The Love Of My Life  
>And I thank GOD I'm alive<br>To spend my lifetime with you  
>You Are The Love Of My Life<em>

As the song ended, Fred twirled me around one last time, and pulled me against him. "You are the love of my life..." he sang into my ear softly again, before sealing my lips with his. "I love you," was all I could say when we pulled apart, but I knew it meant a lot to him. It meant _everything_ to me.

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><p><strong>AN**: The song in this chapter is "You are the love of my live" by George Benson & Roberta Flack. A really cute song, do check it out! And I didn't use all of the lyrics here, just bits and pieces, it was too long for me to put it here and write a story after it. So..I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review! Chapter 3 might not be up till after the 29th, but I will try and see if I can upload earlier. :)

~nsk-emerald


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Okay. So I had just 2 reviews for my previous chapter again. Is this story that bad? Or is it my writing skills?  
>Anyway, a huge thank you to alexisjenny and Megs745! I would dedicate this chapter to you both...but I'm not too sure about dedicating <em>this<em> particular chapter. I'll dedicate a more happy chappy to you ^_^ I hope I get more reviews this time! AAAND the song in this Chapter is Goodnight My Angel by The Celtic Woman. Billy Joel sang this song too (I think that was the original version), but I thought the Celtic Woman one was more appropriate for a female. Sorry I keep throwing these songs in, I just can't help it. :D

**Warning: Character Death in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; they belong to the amazing JKR. **

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><p><span>Chapter 3<span>

**Angelina's POV**

I was walking around the small, but homely, cottage briskly, making sure that the windows were tightly shut. I needed to. Times were not good these days, and I wasn't prepared to risk my husband nor my son in such times. But I couldn't help the smile that crept to my face when I thought of the two of the most important men in my life. I had given birth to my son, David Weasley, just three months ago, in the midst of the raging war. Even if he had been born in such tough times, he had still brought smiles to his parents' and relatives' faces; like a lone flower that bloomed in winter.

But that lone flower decided that he was feeling lonely just then, because I heard a loud cry from the nursery. I quickly made my way to the beautifully decorated room (Fred and I had made sure that every nook and corner was made safe, comfortable, and pleasant), only to see my son, who had taken after his father's skin tone and hair, waving his legs and hands around, crying. "Isn't David sleepy? Isn't my favourite baby boy tired?" I cooed as I reached into the crib and carried him. I snuggled him closely to me and sat on the rocker right beside the crib. "Should mummy sing you a song, hmm? The lullaby you like to hear", I smiled down at him, chuckling when he reached his small fingers out to wrap them around my index finger. "I shall take that as a yes, mister."

_Goodnight my angel  
>Time to close your eyes<br>And save these questions for another day  
>I think I know what you've been asking me<br>I think you know what I've been trying to say  
>I promise I would never leave you<br>And you should always know, I never will be far away_

I cuddled him a little closer to me, so that he felt safe and warm. Completely opposite to what I was feeling right now. Things were going from bad to worse all around me, and I feared Fred's and David's lives more than I feared for mine. Every time Fred went out to the radio station to do his stupid broadcasts, I panicked. I feared that every time he said 'I'll be back soon', those were the last words he'd say to me. And then there was David; I knew how vulnerable it was to leave him with a babysitter, so I left my job (a Healer) to be with him. Fred and I had already planned to move in with the other Weasleys, who were currently residing at their Aunt Muriel's house. It was just a temporary measure, till the war died down. In just a few days time, we were moving in with them.

_Goodnight my angel, now it's time to dream  
>And dream how wonderful your life will be<br>Some day a child may cry and if you sing this lullaby  
>Then in your heart there will always be a part of me<em>

By the time I was done singing, David was fast asleep. I sighed in relief. I thanked Merlin that this song worked miracles all the time; he always fell asleep when I sang it.

"It worked again, I see."

I looked up, fear evident in my features, and relaxed after realising it was Fred, leaning against the door.

"You arse, couldn't knock or make any other indications that you're lurking around here again, could you?" I grumbled playfully, thankful that my fear hadn't woken David up. I slowly placed him in the crib and walked towards Fred. "Welcome home, my favourite husband," I grinned.

"Why, glad I'm the favourite out of all the _other_ husbands you have, sweetheart," he joked back, before leaning in to kiss me. I chuckled. It was really a wonder how the both of us always managed to cheer each other up with our odd sense of humour.

Just then, we heard the old radio we had crack in the corner of the living room, and immediately went towards it.

"Lightning has stuck. I repeat; _lightning has struck_."

Fred and I exchanged nervous glances. Isn't that the code name for Harry? Had he really made his way to Hogwarts? If he had, then was it going to happen tonight? The war? Almost simultaneously, I felt something heat up in my pocket, and I took it out. The old DA coin. Harry was indeed back. By the time I was done confirming that fact, Fred was already running around the house, making sure every single window is locked and secure.

"We need to go, Ang," I heard him say, and I nodded.

"Let me get David, we will leave him with the Tonks." I knew for a fact that none of the other Weasleys were going to stay behind at home and wait for updates from the fight. Half of their family was somehow involved in this, and Harry was family too. Since little Teddy Lupin was being taken care of by his grandparents and his mother (Though I sincerely doubted that Tonks was going to sit still while her husband fought), I thought I should just leave David with them too. I walked into the room and picked up a sleeping David, softly kissing his forehead. "I'll be back soon, sweetheart. Daddy and I will be back really, really soon. Just know that I love you with all my heart, David," I whispered to the still sleeping child, blinking back the tears. I felt Fred wrap his arms around me from behind, and leaned against him. I knew he was feeling what I was feeling; both of us knew that us never making it back home was a very huge possibility. But if that meant making this world a safer place for our son to live in, then I would gladly put my life in the front line and fight for him.

"It'll be fine, Ang. _We'll_ be fine. Just see," he softly said, leaning in to place a soft kiss on both mine and David's forehead. I nodded my head, albeit reluctantly. I had this bad feeling. A very, very bad feeling about that night. I didn't tell that to Fred, though. I might scare him, and he would make me stay with David at Tonks'. Now that was what I didn't want. I wasn't about to sit around and mope while my husband was risking his life out there.

I quickly apparated along with Fred, holding David, to Tonks'. I passed David to Andromeda carefully, kissing his forehead. I was, for some reason, finding it hard to leave my son. Maybe it was the maternal instinct? I had never really left his side too much since he was born, anyway. When Fred's hand reassuringly wrapped around mine, I smiled up at him. "You can stay, you know. David will be much more safer with his mother around," he tried persuading me.

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up and come, Fred. Let's go kick the arse of Snake-head."

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><p><strong>Fred's POV<strong>

Never once had I ever imagined my second home torn to pieces like that. It was just dirt and debris lining what used to be the majestic Great Hall. True, George and I had never been ones who loved the whole 'lessons' part of the school, but that was the only part we disliked. After all, Hogwarts had served as the place where we first started our dream – the joke shop. And it was also where I found Angelina.

Which was why I couldn't help but feel the pang of sadness when I ran through the destroyed hall with my family, warding of Death Eaters on the way. It was a complete mess everywhere I turned.

"Fred, look out!"

I turned around just in time to block a curse from a Death Eater.

"Will you stop daydreaming and fight back already?" George shouted at me, taking his place right behind me.

"Well then, brother. Let the fight begin," I grinned, and we started to duel the Death Eaters back to back.

Just 15 minutes into the fight, and I had already seen people from our side fall. Too many people, for my liking. Thanking the heavens above that none of my family members were hurt (I know I was being selfish, but can you exactly blame me for that?), I went on to the second level, realising that it was a bit more of a mess there. Someone blasted idiot was trying to get through the secret passageway over there, and then destroy it. No one, _no one_ knocked down the secret passageways of Hogwarts. George and I were protective of those areas.

I had just reached that passageway when I saw Percy, Ginny and Angelina ferociously duelling a bunch of Death Eaters. Ignoring the sudden lurch my heart did at the fact that Angelina had just missed a curse by few inches, I ran towards the group of them and started duelling with them. I knew Percy had returned – we had already seen him at the Room of Requirement. I had managed to give him a hard time, calling him a pompous brat and the other usual names I enjoy calling him, before willingly accepting him back. I might be immature at times, but I knew it when someone was being sincere.

"Fred!" Ang shouted over the commotion, grinning. "You're here!"

"Yes I am, Ang! Couldn't stay away from you," I winked at her, knowing well that she was going to smack my head later for replying cheekily in the midst of a huge fight.

Just then, I heard Percy conversing with his employer, the Minister, while fighting him.

"Did I mention I'm resigning?"

To say that I was shocked would be the understatement of the century. Percy freaking Weasley just _joked_. That would be a first time, mates.

"You're joking, Perce!" I shouted, the shock still present on my face. "You actually are joking, Perce... I don't think I've heard you joke since you were – "

I heard a very loud explosion, before Angelina's scream.

"FRED! MOVE!"

And I felt a rough shove of my shoulders, before flying backwards and hitting the wall violently. It took me a while to open my eyes and realise that part of the castle right beside the secret passage had been blasted. I cursed under my breath as I got up shakily, trying to spot my siblings and Angelina.

Angelina.

She was trying to push me out of the way...out of which way?

"Ang? Angie! Angelina!" I called out, acknowledging, with relief, the fact that both Percy and Ginny were alright. "Angie? Can you hear me? Where are you?"

Just then, I saw long, slender fingers poking out of a pile of the debris. I froze for a moment, hoping beyond hope that I was dreaming. I had to be, right? It might not be even her. Angelina?...No. It couldn't be her.

Slowly, I started removing the piles of rocks on top of the figure. I guessed that I didn't want to know who it was under the collapsed wall, which was why I was removing it in a painstakingly slow manner. And then, the thought that the person might still be alive occurred to me, and within seconds, I had removed all the rocks. It was Angelina.

"ANGELINA! ANGIE! Baby, look at me. Wake up. LOOK AT ME! Don't you _dare_ die on me! Ang!", I kept shouting, unaware of the fact that Ginny and Percy were hovering above us by then, tears streaming down their cheeks. But I couldn't be bothered. All I was aware of was the dead woman before me, the woman whom I loved with all my heart. She was such a happy soul, she loved everyone, she always made me happy...why her? Why not ME? And then I realised yet another painful truth.

She died trying to protect me.

My Angelina died trying to push me out of harm's way.

_I_ should have been the one dead.

A gut-wrenching, agonized cry left my mouth, a sound that not a single person had ever heard from me. Angelina was gone. She had died for me. She was gone, leaving me with a son. I looked down to see her staring eyes that no longer could see. I was never going to hear her laugh. I was never going to hear her argue with me. I was never going to hear her singing the lullaby to our son. She was gone.

Before I knew what I was doing, I was up on my feet, fighting with angst and fury that I never knew I possessed. Just minutes before, I was fighting to protect. To protect my family and myself. But the fact that Angelina had been killed, had fuelled me. I was fighting to kill, by then. Any Death Eater who came across me, met a violent and painful death. I didn't care. All I wanted was revenge, revenge for killing my wife.

"Ang...Ang...Ang" I kept muttering to myself, as if chanting her name over and over again would bring her back to life. But no, it was not happening. Even after the war was over, after Harry had defeated Voldemort, she hadn't woken up from her deep slumber. She wasn't acknowledging me. She wasn't acknowledging David, when Andromeda brought him over along with Ted. Angelina laid peacefully on a stretcher, not getting up to console the many people who were bent over her unmoving body, sobbing for a lost daughter, sister, friend, wife, and mother.

She was gone.

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><p><strong>AN:** Oooh. Oops. She's gone. I will upload Chapter 4 soon, and you'll find out just what happens to our dear Angelina. Well, anyone who reads this story anyway, I'm beginning to think not many people do =/ Okay sorry. I'm this emo freak who gets sad when I get no reviews. Ignore me. And review :D

AND anyone who knows a good beta or is willing to beta for me, please PM me! Thank you.

~nsk-emerald


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay! Life is hectic. I'm having a bit of a problem with this story, but I shall keep this going. I hope something or someone inspires me soon, ahahah. Though the Phelps twins are doing a very good job...

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; they belong to the amazing JKR. **

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><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

**Angelina's POV**

I was floating. Floating and floating...but I wasn't sure just _where_ I was heading. I remember that something really hard had hit me in the head, but I wasn't too sure whether I was dreaming or not. Because I did not feel anything at all – no soreness of the part of my head which got hit, no head-splitting headache that I knew follows a hard hit, no dizziness. Nothing. I felt absolutely fine, except for the fact that I was floating, and Fred was nowhere to be found. That man, he was so taken back by the fact that Percy had joked that he hadn't realised that he was right in the middle of it all; he would have got the worst impact when the wall was blown away, if I hadn't pushed him away.

Wait a minute. I pushed him away. Then where did I land?

Oh Merlin. Please don't tell me...did I get the impact instead? Am I _dead_?

Just as I was about to get into a frenzy mode and panic (only Fred could calm me down), I saw a figure walking towards me. Tentatively, I walked closer to the nearing figure, feeling a little insecure. Who would it be? Would the person harm me? Well, if I was really dead, harming me would be quite out of question.

"Hello, Angelina. What a pleasure to see you again."

Trust me when I say I almost peed in my pants, however unglamorous that sounds. It was Albus Dumbledore.

"Pr-Prof-Professor _Dumbledore_? You...you were supposed to be dead!" I spluttered out, before clapping my hand over my mouth. It wasn't a really nice, and sensitive, thing to say, I realised. "Sorry" I muttered.

Dumbledore merely chuckled. "That is alright, Angelina. And yes, I am dead."

"So...does that mean I'm dead too?" I asked him, prepared for the inevitable.

"I'm afraid so."

I was expecting that answer, yes, but that didn't make me feel any better. I was dead. I was 20, and I was dead. But more than that, my heart broke at the fact that I would never be able to see David grow up to be a man like his father. I would never be able to be with Fred again, and watch our family grow. All those truths weighed down on me, and I collapsed to my feet.

"I...I didn't want to die. I wanted be with Fred. I just wanted to save him..." I mumbled, trying to control my tears. The one thing that made me feel better was that I managed to save Fred. He was alright. That was enough for me.

"Now now, Angelina. There is no need to be overwhelmed with such sadness now, is there? Everything is over. You did it; you made the world a better place for both your son and husband," Dumbledore said, kneeling beside me. I gave him a wet smile and a nod.

"Yes, Professor. At least there was one good outcome out of this night. I just hope they're fine...Fred and David. I know the other Weasleys are going to help them through this, but it's not going to be the same as having a wife and a mother, is it?" I asked him, sniffing a little. That had become my biggest fear, the fact that Fred and David are going to have troubles managing without the love of a wife and a mother respectively.

I saw him smile. "That is precisely why you're here, instead of attaining the peace that you should have attained already, Angelina. Your soul is not yet at peace. You are what muggles would call a 'Restless spirit'. A good one, though," he added quickly upon seeing my eyes widen in shock. "You are just not at peace yet, because you have worries. You are worrying about Fred and David, about how incomplete their lives will be."

It still amazed me just _how_ Dumbledore always managed to know just what the hell was going on in everyone's head. And being dead merely made him wiser than he already is.

"So...what is going to happen to me now? Do I stay here? Or..." I trailed off, not really knowing any other options. It was the first time I was dead after all.

He smiled again. "You go back, Angelina. But no, not as an alive person," he cut me when he saw that I was about to squeal. "You'll be going back as a spirit. You'll be with Fred and David, and only Fred will be able to see you."

I was confused by then. He wants me to go back...as a spirit...be with Fred...converse with him...and?

"Guide him, Angelina. Guide Fred into this new life, guide him till he finds someone who'll stick with him for the rest of his and David's life," he softly said, which made me tear more. Of course. I couldn't stay forever, could I?

"So, I can stay with them till he finds...like...a new love? Someone who will take care of him and David the way I did?" I asked.

"Yes, that is the basic point."

I nodded my head. I am going to go back. Even if it killed me (yes, all over again) to realise that I was the one who was going to find Fred another love, I was going to do this. I needed to see Fred, and David, through this. And I will. After all, if I don't, who will?

**Fred's POV**

I was still lying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling blankly. It had been a week since that day. A week since I slept well, 5 days since Angie's funeral, and 2 days since I last saw my family members. They kept coming over in an attempt to console me and the likes, but I didn't need someone to console me. I needed someone to _tell me what to do._ To guide me. Angelina would have known that, she always knew me.

The only other person who understood what I needed was George. Which was why I wasn't hexing him into oblivion for almost tearing down my bedroom door in an attempt to wake me up.

"Fred, stop moping, and get up. David's crying. I can't seem to calm him down. He needs familiarity, he needs _you._ Now go," he said as I felt him pulling my covers away from me. I grumbled something incoherent and got up, rubbing my bloodshot eyes. All I wanted to do was to stay in bed for the rest of my life, but George was right, David needed me. An innocent life did not deserve to lose both his parents when he was barely able to blabber. I got up and dragged myself to the adjacent room, which was the nursery. I reached into the crib and carried David before cuddling the crying child closer to me. "Ssshhh...it's alright David...sleep..." I tried persuading him, but to no avail. He was too used to listening to Angelina's lullaby before falling asleep. I swallowed the lump that rose in my throat.

"Fred? I have to go now. I don't trust Ron with the store, he has a knack for screwing things up, you know that. I'll just go and make sure everything's alright. Just send me an owl if you need anything, right mate?" George asked, poking his head through the door. I nodded, unable to find my voice. I hadn't been able to talk to anyone at all, except David. Even then, it was soft whispers.

When I heard the front door shut, I sat on the rocking chair beside the crib, and slowly started to rock my son to sleep. I needed to think of anything else, anything except her. Thinking about her was killing me inside all over again.

David, as if sensing my distressed, started crying out loud again. "Sshh...David, be a good boy, come on...Sleep, my son," I tried again, and though it managed to calm him down a little, he was still crying.

"_Goodnight my angel time to close your eyes...and save these questions for another day..."_

I looked up suddenly, heart thumping fast against my ribcage. Was it...was it her? It sounded so.

"It's me, Fred. Angelina."

I started looking around feverishly, too scared to even stand up from the rocking chair. It couldn't be her...could it? She was dead, right? Then how...

That was when I saw something translucent materializing right before my very own eyes. A few seconds later, Angelina, looking _very_ alive to me, was standing right there, smiling.

"Ang?"

"Yes, Fred. It's me."

"Ang!" I whispered, unable to stop the tears from forming in my eyes. She was here. She wasn't dead! "You aren't dead! You're here!" I quickly stood up and placed David in the crib, since he seemed to be more calmed down with his mother's presence.

I turned to Angelina, only to see her smiling sadly at me. "No Fred, I'm sorry. I'm not alive."

I shook my head. "No..no, you a_re _alive. I can see you, I can talk to you. You're alive," I started ranting, but I could already see that though Angelina was there...she wasn't _truly_ there. I could actually see through her, I could see the door that was behind her. The one that under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have been able to see.

"Ang...why can I see _through_ you?" I asked her, not wanting to know the answer, but dying to know the answer at the same time.

"I'm dead, Fred, and NO, you can't change the fact even if you want to," she cut me when she saw that I was about to protest.

"Then...why? How?" My voice was wavering by then.

I saw her smile. That beautiful smile... "I'm here to help you, Fred. To guide you. Till..." I saw her pause for a moment, as if contemplating something. And then she looked at me again. "Only you can see me, hear me, and talk to me. I'm here to help you, because till you are settled in your life, till David is settled, I can't really...you know..."

_No_, I wanted to say. _No, I don't. _But I didn't. She seemed to be tired, and sad, so I didn't say anything. I just smiled, and took a few steps forward. "I missed you, Ang," I whispered to her, and held my hands out. She too reached her hands out, but when our hands touched, I was just...touching the air. Upon further concentration, I could feel some warmth at the part of my fingers that was touching her. That was all. I stared sadly at where our hands were connected.

"Why, why did you push me away! David needs you more than me..." I started blabbering, the tears that were filled in my eyes already spilling over. I had never been someone who cried, I was Fred Weasley for crying out loud. But right then, it was all too overwhelming for me to tolerate.

Angelina was shaking her head vigorously by then. "No, no no, Fred, listen. I do not regret pushing you away then, I do not regret it now either. _Never _think that you should have been the one dead. Let me remind you that _you_ are the one who makes this world a better place by making everyone laugh," she chuckled.

But I was still not convinced. "No..."

"Oh Fred, please, let this guilty conscience of your go, and try to get back to the normality of life. David needs you, love. Don't let him down. I'll be right here with you," she softly said, her warmth getting stronger as she neared me.

I stood still for a moment, just looking at her, before smiling a little. "I love you, Ang. I love you so much. Don't ever leave me."

She smiled. The smile seemed...sad? "I love you too."

And though I started to believe that things might not be too bad since she's here now after all, I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about how she had not responded to the other part of my sentence. Will she leave me one fine day? I sincerely hoped not.

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><p><strong>AN:** Liked it? Please review and tell me! And if you do not understand anything in this chapter/story, tell me too, I will try to edit or explain. ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Hello! I apologise for the delay. Christmas + New Year + brain block = horrible author. Haha. I hope you enjoy this chapter! And, please read the Author's Note at the end of this chapter. Don't forget to read and review! ;)

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; they belong to the amazing JKR. <strong>

Chapter 5

_**5 YEARS LATER**_

**Fred's POV**

"Oi! Fred! Would you mind helping me out here?" I heard a distant voice, and my eyes shot open.

"Wha-? Oh! Oh, right, coming" I said as I forced my lazy self out of the armchair I was snoozing on. I walked to George, who rolled his eyes at me.

"Seriously Fred, when are you ever going to sleep properly at night so that you can be more alive when you're working at the shop you co-own?" he asked me exasperatedly, this time it was my turn for an eye roll.

"I don't stay awake for the whole of the night on purpose, alright? I just have a lot of things on my mind!"

Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see George sighing softly.

"David?" he guessed.

I nodded my head a little while levitating the box of Instant Darkness Powder from the store room. "His teacher talked to me yesterday when I went to fetch him. Apparently, David was being very aggressive with his peers; more aggressive than usual at any rate."

It has been five years since that night. Five years since I lost my love and David lost his mother. Since then, I have tried to move on. Not that it worked, but Angelina's spiritual presence sure made it easier. She popped out of nowhere once in a while, and just like when she was alive, her presence somehow soothed me.

"You should sit and talk to him, you know" George advised, at which I rolled my eyes once again.

"I've done that countless—"

"Yeah, all of those times ended up in you losing your patience with him and sending him back to his room."

Oops. Guilty. I had no choice but to admit that my patience had decreased tenfold over the past 5 years. Without Angelina, I didn't know how to handle _anything_. The responsibility of David and household chores thrust upon me had taken a bad toll on my patience. Not that my family had failed to help. In fact, they were another reason why I was even alive. But the ultimate truth was that, I was in this shit alone. The only two who always talked sense into me were George and Angelina.

Sighing, I checked on the time. I was running late, I had to fetch David.

"George, sorry, I need to fetch –"

"David. Go", he smiled over at me. With a small wave at him and our assistant Gwendolyn, I grabbed a fistful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace.

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><p><strong>David's POV<strong>

I was sitting at a corner, stacking up the toys in a long pile. It was really quiet...just the way I like it to be. No screaming classmates, no loud, chirping birds. It was just quiet and peaceful. And I was stacking up my toys, just the way I like them to be. But my tranquillity was soon disrupted when I heard a loud roar from the fireplace in the next room, and I jumped. My sudden movement made the pile of toys crash to the floor, and I stared at them in irritation. I had stacked them up so neatly!

I heard someone walking into the room, where I was at the corner. Only two other of my classmates were there, and they were napping. I looked up in time to see my teacher, Mrs Torch, and my father. I smiled a little; someone familiar once again. But my father was too busy talking to my teacher. He looked...upset? I could hear what my teacher was talking about, just a little. "Alone...doesn't socialize... sits at corner...rocks body...piles up toys..."

Just then, my father turned to look at me, and I backed up against the wall just a little. He wasn't looking at me angrily...but something about that look made me want to run away.

"David, come here, let's leave" I heard him say in a soft tone. He was holding his hand out. I simply looked at him, and then back at his hand, confused. What?

He repeated the same thing when I remained still. I, apparently, was not doing what he was asking me to do, because he was getting this confused frown on his face. But...what was I supposed to do?

"David, put your toys down, stand up, and come here. Your father is here to fetch you back home", my teacher explained to me slowly, with a smile.

Ah, so _that's_ what they wanted me to do. I got up slowly, and made my way to my father. I wrapped my small hands around his large ones, and looked up at him. I saw him look at me for a few moments silently, as if trying to make out what just happened, and then he thanked the teacher, and we were on our way back already.

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><p><strong>Fred's POV<strong>

I was confused beyond measure. Thoroughly confused. Exactly what was happening to my son? He had been a quiet child since he was a baby. Not that he never cried; I had lost track of how many sleepless nights I had suffered due to my dear son's ability to shake the whole house with his sharp cries. But he never communicated with anyone other than myself, George, and occasionally, Mum. I thought it was just a phase of his, that he'll be alright in a few years' time. But to my shock, he only seemed to get worse. He had gotten the habit of stacking up whatever he sees, be it his toys, or rusty cans. When told not to do it, he simply repeats his actions again and again, as if no one had instructed him to do anything. His behaviours were downright confusing, and I had no idea what to do. I loved my son, and I wanted him to be alright. But the thing was..._how_ do I set him right?

"You know, the Fred that sits and stares blankly into the wall is not the man I thought I had married. Did one of the evil bitches lurking around this area possess you or something?" I heard the voice, and turned around to look at her, chuckling.

Angelina stood – or rather, was floating – in front of me, her arms crossed and a thoughtful expression present in her features.

"Nope, I'm not possessed. I'm just in a deep thought – however unbelievable that might sound. I scare the evil bitches away, in case you don't know", I explained. Just like Angelina, some other spirits have unfinished business, and were allowed to wander about the Earth. However, unlike the beautiful love of my life, they were mean and evil. Hence the name 'evil bitches', the term invented by none other than the sweet Angelina.

Angelina smiled, and made her way closer to me. "Listen, I know you're worried about David. I am, too. That is why I'm urging you to stop living in denial and sought a professional help already", she bluntly said, looking at me square in the eyes.

She knew. She knew that I was not going for any of those 'counselling' or 'psychiatric help' kind of crap. I was afraid that it would become true. That there was something wrong with David. And let's just say that I was not fond of reality.

Just then, we heard a loud crash from the kitchen, and rushed there. There was a huge piled of cans in a corner – crashed down from the looks of it. And right beside the crashed pile sat David, rocking his body back and forth, staring at the cans.

"Oh God Fred, help him to the room. Make him sleep", I heard Angelina whisper to me, and I nodded my head slightly. I reached down to him and helped him up, but all he did was to break away from my grasp aggressively and back into the wall.

"David, come on. Let's get you to bed", I told him softly, circling my arms around him delicate figure again. And once again, he pulled away from me and ran to the other end of the kitchen. He was testing my patience by then.

"David! Get over here, now!" I said sternly, raising my voice just a little.

All of a sudden, David let out a loud shriek and ran up to his room, banging his door close. I stood there, dumbfounded. What just happened?

I could see the figure of Angelina out of the corner of my eyes, floating towards me. "Fred," she called out softly, "Go. Pacify him. Talk to him, don't lose your patience this time."

I turned to look at her, before making my way up to his room. I had no idea why my son was behaving that way, but I figured that that wasn't my priority now. I had to talk to him. After knocking on his door a few times, I opened the door, only to find him curled up at a corner of his bed, rocking his body. Again.

"David?" I called out softly, taking slow steps towards him and sitting at the edge of his bed, trying to see whether he wanted me there or not. He did not budge. Good; at least he wasn't throwing a tantrum.

"Hey, David. I'm sorry for shouting at you just now. I did not mean to" I apologised to him, smiling softly. I wasn't sure whether it was the apology or the calmness in my voice that caught his attention, but he looked up at me, this time with a confused expression. I smiled again.

"Come here. Give daddy a hug", I told him, holding my hands out and moving closer to him. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, before crawling across the small distance between us and falling into my arms. He buried his head into my chest, and I chuckled softly. David seemed to have taken after his mother when it came to cuddling; Angelina always buried her head into my chest every time she was scared or insecure. I sat there, singing him the lullaby that Angelina used to sing when he was just a few months old. The lullaby always worked magic, and within minutes, my son was fast asleep. I slowly lowered his head onto the pillow, tugged him into his blanket, kissed his forehead and tip-toed out of his room. Entering my own, I plopped down on my favourite armchair, and resumed staring at the wall.

"We need to get help, Fred. Before we lose our son to whatever that is going on inside him" I heard Angelina say, and looked up at her. I nodded my head. She was right. I had to get help, before it was too late. I needed to know what was going on with my son, and I will find out a way to help him. If I don't, no one ever will.

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><p><strong>AN:** Liked it? I hope so! I know David's POV is short, and might be a little confusing, but I'm just starting out with him for now. He has a problem, thus his confusing behaviour. Though I'm pretty sure most of you have guessed what his problem is already, baha. So... please review! It will keep me going, since my brain is still being a bitch. Thank you! :)

AND this chapter is beta-ed by CelticCrossings! She made this chapter more readable, so yay! :D


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Hello! So, this chapter is just a filler. I wanted to make it longer and include more stuff here, but it was getting TOO long. I was afraid you guys might lose interest and fall asleep or something. So, please try to enjoy this short filler, and try not to hate me for giving such a short, crappy chapter after a long wait. Hehe. I hope I can get Chapter 7 up soon!

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; they belong to the amazing JKR. **

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><p><span>Chapter 6<span>

**Fred's POV**

I was pacing around my bedroom in the cottage, getting a little nervous. Completely uncharacteristic of me, but then again, it has been a pretty long while since I was myself.

"You're not getting married again, are you?"

I almost jumped. Holding a hand to my chest to steady my heartbeat which had suffered quite a bad scare, I turned around to face the source of the voice.

"Wow, you're jumpy. Fred, what is happening to you?" Angelina asked me, looking at me curiously.

I grunted incoherently before plopping down on the bed. "You should really try to make your presence known in a much more subtle manner, before my heart ceases to work again once it skips a beat whenever you scare me like that."

Angelina rolled her eyes. "Its payback time buddy, remember how _you _used to do that to me?" she smirked, moving closer to me. "Now, back to my questions. You're not getting married again without telling me, right?"

I looked up at her, confused. "What makes you think I'm getting married again?"

"You're walking about the room as if you're suffering from the wedding jitters. Like you did right before making your way to the altar to wait for me", she grinned.

I opened my mouth to ask her just how she managed to find out about his almost-nervous-breakdown back then, but decided not to. It was quite obvious George had decided to fill in his sister-in-law about his brother's calm and composed posture right after the wedding.

"I'm bringing David to see the Healer today. Remember, one of those 'part-time' Healers who dedicate their time to children with special problems when they can?" Of course she'd know, Angelina was a Healer herself, back when she was...you know, alive.

Angelina nodded her head slowly, and looked at me intently, before smiling.

"You're nervous for that?"

I gave her a single nod, sighing. "I know I sound crazy..."

"You don't."

I looked up at her.

"You're just being a doting father who's worried for his son. There is nothing wrong with that", she said, allowing her hand to rest on my head slightly. I still couldn't feel her touches, but I did feel pleasant warmth spread through me. I smiled.

"He's going to be alright, Fred. Our son is going to fine, and he's going to be just as talkative, funny, and naughty as his father very, very soon. And I am going to have the time of my life...or death, watching you handle him", she grinned, crossing her arms now.

"Ha ha... very funny... finding amusement at my misery..." I stuck my tongue out at her. Not exactly what a 24-year-old would do as a come-back, but hey, I _am _Fred Weasley. Just because I'm a single father with a problematic son and am a booming business man, does not mean I have to grow up!

Just then, I heard a few taps at the window, and in swooped in Aigneis, the barn owl of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. I untied the note from her leg and read what was written on it.

_Death Eaters just broke into the shop – more help needed. Get down her as soon as you can, preferably with more help._

_George_

I stared at the note, dumbfounded, before getting up quickly and grabbing David's bag.

"What's wrong?" Angelina asked.

"Death eaters. At the shop. I need to get there now", I replied her as I made sure the windows in the cottage were securely shut.

"Oh dear God, hurry up and go. Leave David with...Noah. She lives the closest, and she doesn't work, she should be free. She can bring David to the Healer", she instructed me. I nodded my head quickly, keeping in mind to thank her later – I had no idea what I would do without her.

"Alright, I will Apparate there now. You going with him? He seems to be a little calmer when you're around, even when he doesn't know you're there" I told her, looking over at David's room. The door was shut. He was probably playing with his toys.

Angelina shook her head a little, her face falling a little. "I can't Fred, my time for now is up. I have to back up there, rest for a while, before coming back again. You know how this works, those people up there can't allow me to stay here 24/7."

I nodded my head, smiling. "I understand, Ang. Go ahead. I'm sure Noah will tell me what's going on. Just be sure to come back later!"

Angelina smiled. "I will. And please, be careful with those Death Eaters", were the words I heard from her before she slowly dematerialized before me. I sighed. Damn those stupid rules Angelina had to abide by. I had always wondered why she just couldn't stay with me all day long. But of course, there were some things in this world that just can't be explained. Which was why I never protested much anymore when she had to leave. It wasn't too bad anyway – she'd go away for a few hours, and then she'll be back, keeping me company and alive. It was just like as if she was working. That was how I saw it anyway; another chance for me to pretend as if we were a normal family.

Thinking that I shouldn't waste more time, I knocked on David's door before opening it, only to find him happily arranging his toys in a stack again. I sighed again. It was a miracle how he doesn't hear me talking to Angelina – to him, I would sound like a lunatic talking to myself.

"Hey David, come here, boy", I called him over, and to my surprise, he seemed to listen. He stood up and walked over to me, smiling a little. He was in a good mood... I thanked Merlin for that.

"We are going to visit Aunt Noah now, and she is going to bring you out to meet someone", I explained to him slowly. He shook his head at first, but when I repeated the same thing again, he grabbed my hand, as if ready to go. I smiled, and carried him, before apparating with him to Noah's.

It didn't take long for me to explain to Noah what happened, and soon, I was already leaving. I kissed David on the forehead, before waving to him. "I will be back soon. Bye!" I waved at him cheerfully, before apparating to Diagon Alley. Even from a distance, I could hear curses and shouts emerging from the colourful shop at the corner of the street. "Well, dear Death Eaters, you are in for some real _kick-ass_ time..." I muttered under my breath, before making my way to the shop with my wand out.

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><p><strong>David's POV<strong>

I sat in a corner and drew on a piece of paper with a quill, both of which I had fished out of my bag. Occasionally, I looked up only to see Aunt Noah walk about the house as she got herself ready to bring me out. I didn't know why we needed to go out – I was happy staying at home, without anyone around me. It's really quiet that way, you see. I loved a quiet atmosphere. But the adults, they don't really get it. All they wanted me to do was to run around and play like other children. But...it was so _noisy_. Every time my dad brings me to the playground, I couldn't stand being there. All the others screaming as they played, the loud swoosh of the air as some of the older boys rode their broomsticks nearby, I couldn't take it. I always ran away from such places. Yet my aunt was getting ready to bring me out. I could only hope that it wasn't anywhere too noisy.

I soon realised that my aunt was talking to me and I looked up. I looked intently at her, trying to make out just what she was saying. All I could hear was "...David...leave...out..." Did she just say that she wanted me to get out of the house? I saw her take a deep breath, and kneel down before me, with a soft smile.

"David, we are going out", she explained, pointing to the door. "We are going to see someone. Let's go", she held her hand out, the smile still on her face. I smiled back at her when I understood what she was talking about, and placed my hand in hers.

She apparated with me to some old street that I've never been to before. The sudden unfamiliarity scared me, and I immediately moved as close as possible to my aunt. She too, held me tightly, and led me to an abandoned red-brick London apartment. I looked around me, taking in the horrible sight – everything was run-down. I felt so scared. Where was my daddy?

Just then, the small doll that sat innocently at the corner of the window of the shop, started talking. I stared at it with my wide eyes, and was even more surprised when my aunt started to converse with the doll. It's true, I have grown up with magic around me. From moving pictures to pots that cleaned themselves, I have seen the wonders of household magic. But talking to a scary doll that resided in a run-down shop? That scared me. A lot.

"Come on, David", I heard my aunt say, and before I could even process what was happening, she led me straight through the window. When I kept walking, I realised we had made our way into a room, looking all clean and...hospital-y. So that was it? We were in the hospital? A middle-aged woman walked up to us from the counter, and looked at me first, before turning to look at my aunt. She conversed with my aunt for a few moments, a conversation that went too fast for me to understand, before my aunt led me to a seat nearby. Both of us sat down, waiting. Waiting for whom, I wasn't too sure. I just kept quiet, and stayed close to my aunt, wishing that my father was here.

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><p><strong>AN**: I included a little more on David, so that we can get more into his head and see what's going on in there. Also, apologies if I seem long-winded, I'm not a great writer, and I haven't mastered the art of coming straight to the point and still making sure the readers understand my characters. I will try to reduce on the long-winded-ness :) Please review!

_~nsk-emerald_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Here's Chapter 7! We have Aida here, weeee! Haha. Just wanted to thank my beta Natalya. And my reviewers Megs745 and fredandgeorgeweaslywife101! You guys are awesome! And to those favouriting and alerting this story, thank you to you too. If possible, please leave a review. But thanks for even reading this fic:) Enjoy this chappy! And please read my Author's Note at the end of this chapter.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; they belong to the amazing JKR.**

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><p><span>Chapter 7<span>

**Noah's POV**

I had known that my nephew wasn't exactly like his peers since he was three. That was the first time I saw him sitting a few feet from the other toddlers in the playground, looking around in search for a familiar face. Since then, I had hoped with all my heart that as he grew, he'd change. But over the frequent visits that I had made over the two years, I had realized that he had become worst – he was completely ignoring everyone except those he knew well, like myself, his dad, George, or his grandparents. And it broke my heart that I could just sit and watch my nephew being teased by his peers for being so lonely all the time.

So, when Fred had come over that day to ask me to help him bring David to the Healer's, I was only too glad to do so. With a small note left for my husband on the coffee table (I had gotten married a little over a year ago), I had brought him to St Mungo's. He seemed to be really scared of his surroundings, which was perfectly alright for a young child who had never been to the place before. It was true; David had never visited St Mungo's in his life. Well, once, when he was actually _born_ here. But after that, he never had any reasons to make a trip here. That was because he never got hurt. Ever. He never played much with his peers; he simply drew, or stacked his toys up. Whatever small ailments he got, were treated by either one of his grandmothers. So I dismissed his nervousness as the nerves that a timid child would get when the child visits an unfamiliar place.

I sat there, with David clinging to me as if his life depended on it. Since we were there for an appointment with a part-time pediatric Healer who specialized in...what did the woman call it? Lycology? Or Vycology? Oh, yes, psychology. We were to be directed to another branch, one that not everyone knew about. And both David and I have to wait till we were given a portkey to the said branch.

"David, you feeling alright?" I asked him when I realized that his grip had tightened. I wrapped my arms around him slowly, in a comforting manner. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him – lost his mother when he barely even got to know her, and now, suffering from something that none of us seem to be able to help him with. Just then, I heard a deep voice, and looked up in time to see one of the male Healers smiling down at us. "Good morning, Mr Weasley and Mrs Crane. I'm Healer Matt. This is the room you're supposed to go into, and your portkey to the other branch is right over there", the friendly man said, pointing to a glowing piece of hand mirror placed on a table at the corner of the room.

"Thank you." I nodded at him with a smile, before walking towards the mirror with David by my side.

"David, I want you to grab this mirror when I count to three, alright?" I asked him, but he seemed a little confused. So, in order to make sure that I don't leave my nephew behind, I took hold of his right hand with my own. On the count of three, I placed both my hand and his on the hand mirror, and with a sharp jerk, both of us were flying through the air. We were air-borne for a few moments, before crashing on a carpet of sorts. I immediately looked to my side to make sure that David was alright, and to my surprise, he was actually smiling. Wow. So he had found it fun?

"You like flying, huh? Just like your mother. And father," I chuckled, ruffling his hair a little. I got up quickly, before helping him up.

Following the instructions on the paper, I made my way to the room along with David. I knocked the door twice, before hearing a clear "Come in."

"Here we go!" I whispered at my nephew, before leading him into the room. A young woman sat behind the desk, a warm smiling adorning her already beautiful face. She looked really young...almost as young as me. Well, maybe a few years senior...but she definitely wasn't the wise old man that I was expecting to be sitting in her place.

"Good morning, Mrs. Crane, good morning young gentleman. My name is Healer Aida. You can just call me Aida though," she said still smiling.

"Good morning, Healer- oh, right, Aida", I chuckled, and took a seat when she gestured me to it. I helped David to sit on the seat beside mine which was quite useless since he was almost sitting on my lap. He seemed to be really scared now.

I kept quiet for a few seconds, waiting for the Healer to say something, but she merely kept smiling at David, as if silently communicating with him. I thought that maybe, even she might not be able to get through to my nephew, since he was still clinging onto me really tightly. But to my surprise, his death grip started to loosen just a little, and he was suddenly looking back at the Healer. David wasn't really someone who maintained eye-contact, but here he was, loosening up bit by bit. To say that I was shocked would be quite the understatement. Without realizing it, I started to tell Aida about how David is behaving. From his tendency to pile his toys up, to his tendency to rock his body, to his aggressive behavior; I told her everything. She listened to me intently, and nodded her head, as if she understood perfectly well _why_ David did that. When I was done, I sighed, and rested my hands on the clean desk.

"Aida, what is wrong with David? Is he going to be alright?" I asked her, feeling a little nervous myself. He _needed_ to be alright. I couldn't just watch while my only sister's son got his life in a mess.

I was surprised when Aida chuckled. "Of course he's going to be alright! He's going to be perfectly fine. He just needs a little guidance. Now, I have a fair idea what is going on with him...but I do need to do a few checkups first," she told me, to which I nodded my head.

She slowly called David, and when he refused to even budge from my side, she resorted to bribing him with chocolates.

"Here David, if you come over here and let me check you, I will give you these Chocolate Frogs", she told him kindly. David, who had always had a soft spot for chocolates, looked at me hesitantly. When I gave him a small nod to go ahead, he jumped off his chair slowly, and walked up to the Healer. He was about to get the chocolate from her, when she moved it away from within his reach.

"How about I give you this Chocolate Frog, and _another_ one – " she took out another from her pocket "_after_ we play a little game?" she asked him, smiling with the two boxes of chocolates in her hand. I smiled widely. David wasn't going to say no to that, not when someone offered _two _chocolates so kindly. His small nod only made my smile widen.

I sat and watched on as the brilliant Healer did the check-ups in a manner that made David believe that they were indeed playing little games. I was thoroughly impressed with the way she was handling my nephew, and knew at that moment that David was in good hands.

The little 'game' went on for about fifteen minutes or so, most of it related to the way David played with certain toys, and the way he handled some of the things handed to him, and the way he communicated with Aida. When they were done, Aida took the seat behind the desk, flipping a few papers, while David jumped back onto the seat next to me, still keeping close to me, but not clinging onto me. Something that was pleasantly surprising.

"So... What is wrong with David?" I asked the Healer slowly, almost as if I didn't want to hear what she was about to say.

Aida looked from the papers she was reading and looked at David before looking back at me.

"David, why don't you go play with those toys there?" she asked him, pointing to a bunch of toys at the corner of the room. David, eager to play with toys and not just sit and listen to a conversation that he probably wouldn't understand, stood up and sat at the corner, starting to play with the toys. Aida looked back at me.

"David is suffering from autism."

It was silent for a few long moments, except for the clicking of the toys as David arranged them.

David? Autistic? I had heard of the disorder before, since I was a half-blood who read a lot of muggle books after all. But I wasn't exactly sure what the disorder was about. I only knew that it was a mental disorder. And it was scaring me to no ends that David has it. Was this disorder even curable? If it wasn't...then David would remain the same for years. Just thinking about it made me shudder – this was _not_ the life my sister would've wanted for her son. And Fred? How was he going to make sure David grows up well, with this disorder, alone? I could already feel myself hyperventilating, and looked up at the Healer. "Autism? You mean...that Muggle mental illness?" I asked her just to be sure. I couldn't believe it.

I saw Aida smiling a little, shaking her head. What was so amusing about this situation?

"You know, this is the exact mistake a lot of people make. Assuming that autism is a mental disorder, and immediately labeling the affected child as an _autistic_ one. Autism is merely one aspect of David's total character. It does not define him as a person. Therefore, he is not _primarily_ autistic. He is just suffering from autism, which can be cured, given the state of magical medicine now. Even muggle medicines would be helpful. He just needs time and guidance. And there is where you and I come in," she explained to me slowly.

I just sat there, looking intently at her. So, this disorder was curable. David was going to be alright. Is that what she was trying to tell me? I felt my heart returning to its normal pace as I kept telling myself that my nephew was going to okay, eventually. It took me another few minutes to calm myself down completely, take a few deep breathes, and look back at her. "What do I need to do now?"

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><p><strong>Aida's POV<strong>

I was looking between the young woman and small boy, still smiling. It was a wonder I could even smile these days when, back in the old days, I was quite the cold-hearted bitch. Harsh? Maybe. But it was the truth. I never smiled when I was back at Hogwarts. Why, one might ask. The reason was kind of straight-forward. I was a Malfoy.

I was the first daughter of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, and the sister of Draco Malfoy. At 11, being a Malfoy meant everything to me. I was a pureblood, from a rich, well-respected family, and I didn't have to even try to make friends. They came to me. Everyone wanted to have a chance to even speak with me, especially those in Slytherin. When Draco joined Hogwarts just 2 years later, the both of us became the 'powerhouse duo'. It didn't hurt that the both of us were quite the good-looking siblings in the house, with Draco's ice-blonde hair inherited from father and my aristocratic looks I had inherited from mother. And we basked in the glory of being a Malfoy. We did, all the way till my sixth year at Hogwarts. Everything came crashing down when You-Know-Who came back. My family was scrutinized, I lost all the privacy I had, and my lovely home was used as a Death Eaters headquarters. And the worst part came when my father was whisked away to Azkaban, and the responsibility of being a Death Eater fell on my brother. I wasn't the normal sister who was over-protective of her brother and hogged his space all the time. But when I heard that he was to perform tasks that he certainly shouldn't be performing, I flipped. Sure, I loved being a pureblood and a Malfoy, I was snobbish and loved the power that came with being who I was. But I was never one who supported _killing._ No. Torment, teasing, annoying; that was all I did, and all I could do. Even during the war, I turned my back on You-Know-Who way before my parents did, and when it was all over, I celebrated, along with the good side. The only thing was that, I celebrated alone. You see, that was the thing with friends who stick with you solely for power and money – none remain once it is obvious that you might not survive.

But I did, and so did my family. Over the years, we kept ourselves quiet, and tried to rebuild a normal home, this time with Draco and myself in-charge. My father managed to stop being a prick (yup, you can't deny it, my father _was_ an annoying, cowardly, prick), and started a broom business. My mother took care of our home and Draco took care of the business along with father. I, too, helped them with the business. But I was also a part-time Healer. A Paediatric Healer specialized in psychology, to be precise. After the war, I was sick and tired of living. I didn't want to go on, living in a world that surely hated me and my family. That was when my friend Maria (the only one who had stuck by me even though I was a lost case) introduced me to counseling. Well, the counseling hadn't done much work, but the children that I often saw playing right beside the counseling building did. After my counseling sessions, I often sat by the park and saw them playing. Somehow, their innocence fascinated me. I had never spent much time around young children as I grew, and seeing them in the shattered state that I was, it was refreshing, to say the least. And that was when I decided that being a pediatric Healer was the perfect job for me.

Which brought me back to my present – David. He would be the first case of autism I would be handling. And I wasn't even nervous that I would screw his life up. There was something about David that I liked. Something...playful. And sweet. Something that I would like to see in my own son. Whoa, wait a minute, that thought was kind of far-fetched...

"_What do I need to do now?"_

Noah Crane got my attention again, and I looked back at her. "The first thing you need to do is to not get angry whenever he doesn't listen to you. He just doesn't understand what you're saying, and you need to be precise," I told her, to which she nodded her head. "And bring him over frequently, book appointments with the receptionist so that I can meet him often. I would be able to try and help him adapt to the environment faster, and also monitor his progress. Don't worry; David will be alright in no time. Well, actually, there is nothing _wrong_ with him. He just needs to communicate more often, and he'll be just fine," I smiled.

She nodded her head once again, this time a small smile appearing on her face. "Alright, then. I will convey these to my nephew's father, and I will ask him to book the appointments, since I am not aware of his schedule," she said, much to my surprise.

Wait a minute. David wasn't her son? "David is not your son?" I asked her, before flipping to David's profile on the file that I had. I had skipped the whole part about his family and second name and just went on to his medical history (he didn't have one, much to my surprise once again). I read through his details once again, and swallowed heavily.

His full name was David Weasley.

He was a Weasley.

And his father? Fred Weasley. It was written in bold letters, right under the 'Family - father' part of the information.

I let out a nervous chuckle. "Oh..right. He's David Weasley. Hehe. Didn't see that," I sheepishly said, still staring at David's family information. With a pang of sympathy, I read the 'Family – mother" part of the information. So Fred Weasley did marry his childhood sweetheart Angelina Johnson. But the word 'deceased' right next to her name told me that she had passed away. I bit my lip. It was going to be a little harder to get through to David now, knowing that he had never truly known a mother's love. And I couldn't help but feel sorry for Fred Weasley, even though he was my mortal enemy back at Hogwarts. The Weasley twins and I had been in the same year, and let's just say that we had made it our mission to torment each other. As years flew by, the Weasley twins started to become more and more...appealing. I wouldn't have admitted it then, but I did have a teeny, tiny crush on Fred Weasley. But of course, I convinced myself to hate him more. I was a Malfoy, remember?

And here he is, proving life is nothing but one, huge circle. Now I understood why David looked so familiar – he had managed to inherit his father's skin tone and features. But what surprised me the most was the fact that Noah couldn't recognize me. Not that I even knew Angelina had a sister (I was assuming Noah was her sister, since she was looking very similar to Angelina), since all I cared about back at Hogwarts was myself.

"Um, you don't know me, Mrs. Crane? I'm from Hogwarts too," I informed her, chuckling a little. Had I changed so much?

"Oh! You were from Hogwarts too? You don't mean to say you knew Fred and Angelina, do you? I'm Angelina's sister. But I didn't attend Hogwarts, I attended Beauxbatons. My parents wanted 'diverse education' in the family, you see," she laughed lightly.

Ah. Now I understood what was happening. She hadn't even known me. And that was why she was willing enough to let her nephew near me, since most people I knew from Hogwarts were still...scared of me.

"Ohh, right! Well, I hadn't actually known them personally, but who doesn't know a Weasley?" I chuckled, and stood up. "I hope you would tell him all about David, and encourage him to continue these appointments. It is essential for David," I stressed. I had no intentions to meet Fred Weasley, but avoiding him wasn't my priority now. The well-being of David was.

I walked up to the small boy staking his toys up, and bent to his level. "David? It is time for you to go home. We shall meet soon, okay? Here are your chocolates, as promised," I smiled, handing him the Chocolate Frogs. He stopped playing, listened to me, and stood up. Taking the chocolates in his hand, he smiled at me, before leaning in to hug me lightly. He just quickly scurried to his aunt, hiding behind her, as if he was...shy? I chuckled.

"Wow. He has never hugged anyone other than his father or myself, or his grandmothers. He has already taken liking to you, Aida," I heard Noah say with a huge smile, and I mirrored her smile.

"Well then, I am honored that I received that hug. Hope to see you soon, David," I waved at him as he walked with his aunt to the door. To my pleasant surprise, he waved back. Chuckling, I looked at Noah. "Goodbye, Noah. I hope to see you soon, too. Take care of David, and feel free to contact me through St Mungo's if you have any queries regarding his behavior," I informed her. She nodded. "Thank you, Aida," she thanked me, before leaving.

I sat back on my seat with a contented sigh. Noah's heartfelt thanks made me happy, but I was still afraid. Afraid that Fred Weasley might not want David to seek help from me, from a Malfoy, once he knows that I was the Healer in charge of David. I wouldn't exactly blame him, since I had been quite evil to him. But...David needed help. He was going to be alright, yes. But he was going to need a lot of patience and guidance. And if Fred Weasley still allowed me to continue helping David, I just might be able to get through to David. I needed to. There was just _something_ in that boy that made me _want_ to help him, somehow. And I will.

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><p><strong>AN: **Oooh. David is having problems =( Not to worry, Aida is here! Hehe. Hope you liked this. And I made a banner for this story, the URL is in my profile page. You can finally see who's Aida and David! Well, at least in my POV, I imagine them them to look like that. ;) Please don't forget to leave a review!

~nsk-emerald


	8. Sorry

Hello, my dear reviewers.

I'm so very sorry for disappearing off the face of this planet for a long time. Life got extremely hectic, with a new part-time job and then the long and complicated process of applying for a university. Life's been happening. I sincerely apologise for the delay in posting a chapter. I still haven't wrote a complete chapter, so this story is in hiatus for the moment. I feel terrible for doing this. I know how frustrating it can be when a fic you're reading goes on hiatus. But life is realllyyy busy now, and I have no choice. I promise to write up a chapter as soon as I can, and post it. I hope you guys will still be interested. I really do.

Love you all, my dear reviewers.

_~nsk-emerald_


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Okay, I'm realllyyyyyy sorry for the delay! My life has been hectic. It still is, but I've managed to find time to write out this chapter. If I'm ever going on a hiatus again, I promise to tell you guys. And I promise it wouldn't last long ^_^ So pleasssseee be nice and review? :) I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; they belong to the amazing JKR. <strong>

Chapter 8

**Fred's POV**

I sat in front of the glowing fire, my head in my hands as I contemplated which was worse: half the shop destroyed by the bloody annoying Death Eaters, or the fact that my son was suffering from autism. Just when I thought my life couldn't get worse, it merely spiralled down further into hellhole.

Truth be told, when Noah had recounted whatever that happened at the appointment and whatever the Healer had said, I thought I was dreaming. I honestly did. I ended up staring at Noah, waiting for me to get up with a start and realise with a chuckle that I was having a horrible nightmare. But Noah shaking me back to reality made me realise that I wasn't, in fact, having a nightmare. It was real.

"Fred? What happened? Say something. You're scaring me," I heard her say, and looked up at her.

"David is autistic?" I whispered out, more to myself than her.

"Well..yes. He's suffering from autism."

Okay, Fred, calm down. It's not so bad...David is not suffering from a potentially fatal, contagious disease like Dragon Pox. Or Spattergroit.

But autism? _David?_ I just couldn't digest that fact.

"Look on the bright side, Fred," Noah sighed. "We now know what's wrong with David. We can _help_ him," she reasoned.

I nodded my head. She was right. At least now I know that David wasn't just being a spoiled kid and throwing tantrums.

"I need to leave now, Fred. I have to get ready for work. Take care of David and yourself, alright?" she said, at which I nodded my head once again. Take care of myself? I had forgotten how to do that. Approximately five years ago.

When I heard the front door shut, I slowly got up and walked to my study table. Funny how I actually had a study table, when I never really fancied the idea of studying. Well, the study table used to be Angelina's. Once she...passed on, the table just stood there. I didn't have the heart to throw it away. So I simply kept it, and used it when I needed to write up an owl or read through important document.

Plopping down heavily on the cushioned chair, I took the file that casually rested on the middle of the huge oak table, and opened it. It was David's medical reports. I never had to glance through his medical reports before. He had always been a healthy child. So, it only made it much worse that I had to look through the papers that clearly stated that my son was suffering from a disorder. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. Now was not the time to sit and mope about. I had to help my son. With that in mind, I continued to read the papers, paying close attention to whatever that was stated in the report.

I was almost at the end of the report, deciding to immediately call the hospital and book an appointment so that I could follow up with the Healer, when I saw the name of the Healer stated clearly, right at the bottom right hand corner of the very last page.

Healer Aida Malfoy.

Aida Malfoy.

_Malfoy._

She was the one assigned to my son? A Malfoy was treating my son?! Without realising it, my hand slammed onto the table strong enough to shake the hard table. How in this ruddy world was I supposed to sit back and allow a Malfoy to cure my son?! Nope, it wasn't going to happen. It was never going to happen. I am _not _about to let my son be treated by that...vile woman. I could only remember the many occasions she had ridiculed and taunted both George and myself back at Hogwarts, and though we had always gotten back at her with our pranks, I still haven't forgotten just how ashamed I was when she made it known to the whole world about the status of my family. And of course, I haven't forgotten the near-death of my only sister Ginny, and the fact that Lucious Malfoy was behind it just made it tenfold worse.

"Care to explain why you're almost as red as your hair right now?" I heard a voice, and looked up to see Angelina standing before me, gazing at me curiously. "Whoa, dude, don't destroy those papers," she said again, and I looked down at my hand. She was right; I was crushing the papers in anger.

I immediately let go of the file and instead just clenched my fist. "Guess who is the paediatric Healer assigned to David?" I asked her, taking deep breathes to calm himself.

"Aida Malfoy," came her unexpectedly cool answer.

My head shot up, only to see her intently studying her fingernails, completely indifferent about the fact that our sworn enemy was about to treat our son. More like kill him, maybe.

"And you're not flipping shit because..."

"Because I believe in second chances," she finished my sentence, her gaze shifting back to me.

My incredulous look must have been an obvious indicator that I thought she was crazy, because she sighed and neared me. "Listen, Fred, what makes you think she hasn't changed? The war has affected everyone tremendously, and you know that."

I still wasn't believing what I was hearing. "Merlin, woman, are you hearing yourself? You're going soft on a Malfoy! What, are you trying to get on someone's good side up there so that you can stay on Earth for longer hours? If you are, do tell me. I'll play along," he nodded his head.

Angelina merely rolled her eyes. "Fred, I know what I'm saying. And I'm not joking. The moment I realised it was Aida Malfoy who was assigned to David, I immediately did some research on my part, to confirm that it was safe to let her handle this. And both you and I know my research skills are unbeatable, especially when it comes to a matter concerning David," she added. I couldn't argue with that, she was right. "She has changed. Her family has changed. Do you really think the hospital would've hired her if they still believed that she was up to no good? And come on, she never bore the Dark Mark like her brother did. Never did I see her fighting along with Voldemort during the battle. Come to think of it, I did not see any of the other Malfoys fighting alongside him. If that doesn't make you realise that she is rather normal now, I don't know what will."

I held her gaze for a long time, trying to will myself to believe her. But the nagging voice at the back of my mind wasn't leaving, it wasn't letting me believe Angie's words. Aida Malfoy. She was a Malfoy. It still bothered him beyond believe.

Angie, sensing that I was still over-thinking this, let out a groan and rubbed her forehead with her hand. "Fred..."

"You know I don't change my mind easily, Angie. But you also know that I'm not a judgemental arse. I will think about this," I finally said.

Angelina opened her mouth to protest, and then closed it again. She knew I wouldn't change my decision. As long as I say I'll consider an option, I really will. And I plan to do just that. But I'd probably have to put away the whole booking of appointment thing for now... I needed to be sure who I was allowing to handle my son's delicate mind. I need to think this through. Angelina seemed convinced enough, but I wasn't yielding for now.

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><p><strong>David's POV<strong>

I was still munching on the chocolate frog the kind lady had given to me hours ago. Chocolate Frogs...they are so yummy! I never really understood the need for the cards, though. A lot of the other children in my class go crazy for some cool cards. Me? I just like to draw the figure on the card. It felt good to draw. I liked to draw often, and my room walls were lined with my drawings. My prized possessions. Every time my Dad sees a new piece of art of mine and praises me, I always feel good. I don't really understand what he's saying, but words like "very good!" and "beautiful" are good words, right?

I finished my second and last piece of the chocolate and stared at card. It was Harry Potter! My uncle! I smiled. I don't usually talk much to anybody, because when they talk to me, I either don't understand, or it's just _so loud_. I do smile often if I'm feeling alright. And I smile at Uncle Harry a lot, because he's always so nice. He speaks in a really soft voice to me, and almost always gives me a liquorice wand. They were another one of my favourites.

Smiling, I walked to my tiny table and sat down, taking out a parchment and a set of drawing quills my dad had bought for me when he realised that I loved drawing. I took out one of the quills, and started to draw Uncle Harry out. He was no longer in the card, but I remember the exact colour of clothes he was wearing, and his features. As I continued drawing, I couldn't help but remember the kind lady back at the hospital. She was really nice. She kept smiling, she was really soft, and I actually understood whatever she was telling me. Even the games, they had been so fun! My dad always thinks that I don't like to play with the other children. I actually do, I really do. The problem was, I didn't know how to _start_ playing with them. I didn't know how to talk to them. But the kind lady taught me how to play and even played with me for a long time. I like her a lot. I must tell dad to bring me to her often. So that I can play more games. Then dad won't be so upset that I don't play with anyone at all.

I was just completing the drawing of Uncle Harry, when I heard footsteps, and the door opened. My dad walked in, smiling at me. "Hello there, buddy. What are you doing?" he asked me in a soft voice as he came up behind me. I immediately showed him my drawing of Uncle Harry, and I could see his eyes widen a little and he smiled. "That is one great piece of drawing!" he said, smiling as he knelt before me, looking at the drawing. "Well done, David," he complimented me, his hand reaching up to mess my hair. I was grinning in happiness by then. My father liked my drawing, again! I pointed to another drawing I had done last night, of him. "You," I told him. He turned to look at the drawing of him at the corner of the table, and his grinned soon matched mine. This time, I didn't catch all of what he said, but I did hear him saying "Never looked better before...", which I understood. I laughed happily.

And then he turned to me, smiling. "You went to see a Healer, didn't you?" he asked me, to which I frowned. Healer? Who?

"The lady you met a few hours ago? With Aunt Noah?" he explained, and I finally realised he was talking about the kind lady. I vigorously nodded me head with a smile. "She is nice," I said in a soft voice, and I could see the surprise in my father's face. I rarely talked. And me talking about others? That's even more rare. I could understand his surprise.

"Really? You like her?" he asked me again, and I nodded my head.

He sighed, and seemed to just stare at my drawings for a moment, and I just sat there, looking at him. I was really comfortable in silence.

He suddenly turned, and looked at him. "Shall we go to the new shop they've opened just a few blocks away? I heard Uncle George telling me that they even have an indoor playground in there, along with loads of toys and candies," he suggested. It took a few moments to process what he was saying. I could understand what he was saying, but I was reluctant to go. However, playground...toys...candies...it all sounds really good. Maybe I can even get more Chocolate Frogs! I looked up at him and nodded my head.

"Great, come on then," he said, getting up and taking my tiny coat, which he helped me wear. Once he wore his own, we were on our way to the place already. As I walked, I held my dad's hand tightly and kept close to him. The street was quite empty at this time of the day, so it wasn't too noisy. But it was still nice to have the familiarity of my father close to me, because the people on the street tend to look at me the way I looked at a Chocolate Frog. Often, I would hear them telling my dad "Aw, he's so cute!" or "I could just eat his cheeks!", the latter of the two sentences scaring me a little. Why would they want to eat my cheeks?!

This time, though, we had safely reached the new shop without such threatens. The moment I looked at the crowd inside the store, I knew it was a bad idea to have followed my father. There were just _too many_ people in there! My feet moved backwards of their own accord, but my father didn't seem to have realised that I was reluctant to go in now, because he kept walking with my hand in his. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad. I could even see the candies and toys from where I stood. Maybe I'd be so interested in them that I would be able to tune out the noise and not see the bright lights.

But the moment I walked into the store, the noise and the bright light was overwhelming me already. My father, unaware that I was extremely uncomfortable, kept walking to the section of toys, probably to buy me a new toy. I wanted a new toy too...but the noise. Oh, the noise! The baby was wailing, just at the next aisle. The cash register was just beeping and _beeping_. And someone was speaking very loudly. Very, very loudly. I think they had done magic to make their voices louder, the way my father does at his shop sometimes. I run away to the store room when that happens.

We turned a corner, and suddenly, the bright light was blinding me. It looked like as if there were more, stronger lights at this corner, and it was hurting my eyes. And the lights buzzed, the room was moving of its own accord. The glare from the window nearby was just too much. Everything, _everything_ was just TOO MUCH!

Before I knew it, I was screaming and pulling away from my father. I couldn't stay in this store. It's too noisy, it's too bright, it had a lot of people in it. I managed to pull my hand free from my father and ran away, right back to the entrance, as my senses went into overdrive. I could hear my father calling for me, angrily, even, but his voice only added to the head-pounding noise surrounding me, which only made me run faster towards the door. I finally ran out of the door, and decided to stop for my father to catch up. I didn't want to run away and get lost. But before I could stop, I ran straight into someone. Someone's legs, more like it. I looked up, and was very surprised to see the person. It was the kind lady who gave me Chocolate Frogs.

"David?" I heard her say my name in surprise, and looked up when she heard someone else shouting my name. My dad.

"David! Why are you running away?!" he shouted as he neared me, and I immediately turned around to face him, moving closer to the kind lady. But just as he looked up to see who I was moving closer to, he stopped in his tracks.

"Malfoy?" I heard him say, in a way that was scary. My dad had never taken that tone with anyone. Ever.

"Mr Weasley," came the kind lady's replying greet, which sounded really calm compared to my dad's.

And I stood in the middle, looking between the two of them. It was finally quiet around here, but I had a feeling it wasn't going to last long. My dad looked pretty shocked...and angry.

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><p><strong>AN: **So...oops. Things aren't going well between Fred and Aida. I hope you guys liked this chapter. And I have done a lot of research on autism so that I can justify David's character without being shallow and ignorant. BUT if any of you wonderful readers know more about autism and find that my intepretation isn't accurate or good enough, please feel free to drop me a PM, I'd be more than happy to change a few stuff:) And this chapter isn't beta-d yet, so I might edit it once it's beta-d.

Please leave a review? Reviewing has been made easier now with the box just below the chapter, I see! So really, just type what you feel like :D No flames though! I'm leaving a bowl of tasty, virtual candies by the box in hopes that you guys might forgive me for my disappearance, hehe.

~nsk-emerald


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: ***hides face behind a blanket* Yes, I know. I did it again. I disappeared. BLAME THE ASSIGNMENTS THAT NEVER SEEM TO END! And my lazy ass, sigh. I'm going to try my best and update this story whenever I can. Please have patience with me. Life in college is hard. And please keep the reviews coming in? They really do motivate me.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters; they belong to the amazing JKR. <strong>

Chapter 9

**Aida's POV**

I had ended early that day. I could've stayed longer in my office, looking through the case files of the young children who were under my care and come up with more strategic ways to cure them, like I usually do. But I had heard about the new store for young children that had opened up at the North of London, which wasn't too far from where I was working. So I had decided to look around store, to get some candies and toys for my patients, and also observe children and their intriguing behaviours there.

My first mistake.

But honestly, how would I have known that Fred Weasley had no better time to visit the store with his son? If I had known, I certainly wouldn't have been spotted within a mile's radius of the store. Not the way I was supposed to deal with the situation given that I'm a mature adult, but hey, I have my insecurities. And guilty conscience. I always wince when I think of the times I had given the Weasleys a really hard time. I used to make fun of their family status just to amuse myself. I made sure that almost all of our peers joined me in the taunting. Well, peers in the Slytherin house, at least. I made myself popular by stepping on them.

Merlin, I was _such_ a bitch.

On the bright side, I bumped – literally – into David again. I really did like him; he was such a cute child. In my eyes, every child was cute. But David somehow had this pull, something that I hadn't experienced with other children. This only told me that, if and when he finally fights off his problems with autism, he was going to be one hell of a charismatic person.

I looked from David's shaken form to Fred's angry one, and decided to address the small boy first. That was before I heard Fred greeting me. Well, not exactly greeting. Probably just acknowledging my presence.

"Malfoy?" he said, in a tone that most people would recognise to be cold.

"Mr Weasley," I greeted him, even smiling a little to let him know that I wasn't about to bring out our past right there and then, in public, and in front of David. He already seemed disturbed enough.

So, in order to save myself from that situation, I swiftly shifted my attention to the young boy in front of me. "Hello David. How are you?" I asked him, crouching down so that I was in level with him.

"David, come over here," I heard Fred's stern voice, and looked up at him, frowning a little. That wasn't the way you talked to a child, especially not when he was suffering from autism. Didn't his sister-in-law tell him anything at all?

David, though, seemed to have other plans, because he didn't budge. In fact, he actually edged a little closer to me, as if I was a shield against his father. I couldn't blame him; Fred Weasley did look kind of scary. I had been so used to seeing him either ashamed or fooling around, that this sudden "stern daddy" face seemed to be very foreign. I placed my hand on David's tiny back and smiled at him. "Daddy's calling you, David. Why don't you go to him?" I asked him slowly, pointing to Fred. David seemed to contemplate this for a moment, looking between his father and me, but before he could decide, Fred was shouting again. He seemed to be _really_ angry now.

"David! I said, come. here!"

This time, he had really scared David, and the boy was pressing himself against me, whimpering a little as his tiny hands cupped his ears. That was the last straw. David might be his son, but he was a child under my care. I couldn't just sit around and let his father shout at him when David seems to have a hearing that was hyper-acute, from what I observed at the clinic.

"I know he is your son, Mr Weasley, and I also know that you aren't exactly overjoyed to see me. But do not shout at him. It will only disturb him," I told Fred, as I slowly stood up. See? This was why he needed to book an appointment with me. To learn the ways of caring for and communicating with David.

"Who are _you_ to tell me what I can, or cannot, do with my son? You must be pretty gleeful at the fact that I'm a single parent with a problematic son, so why do you care, Malfoy? Stop pretending, and leave my son," Fred said through gritted teeth, and promptly stormed up to me, grabbed David forcefully, and carried him before walking away angrily. I stood there, my mouth wide opened, shocked at his words. So that was what he thought of me? That I was _pretending_? I felt downright offended.

But I wasn't going to leave it at there. I was going to make sure I contacted his sister-in-law, Noah, and give her a piece of my mind, and make her convince him to come back to the clinic with David. I wasn't about to give up on David. I never really gave up on anything ever since I was a child, and I didn't see the need to change now just because a Weasley was involved.

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><p><strong>Fred's POV<strong>

I was _fuming_. How dare that shameless Malfoy stand before me and tell me how to treat _my_ son?! After everything she has done to me and my family...how _dare_ she?

And it wasn't helping that David had refused to come to me when she was there. It surprised just how close he got to her. He usually maintained his distance with someone new. He had just met Malfoy that morning. How could he get attached to her so fast? Had she been _that_ nice to him? It irritated me to even think that. Why her, out of all other paediatric Healers?

I had just reached home, with David still in my arms. He wasn't talking or reacting at all, probably because he was too scared. I was a little too angry right then to play nice daddy right then. Once back home, I shut the door close loudly, and let David stand on the floor. I immediately crouched down to his level, trying my best not to let the enmity between Malfoy and myself make me treat David too harshly.

"Why did you run away from the store, David? Why do you insist on making such a huge spectacle for nothing?! And do not, I repeat, DO NOT near the lady again, you get me?" I shouted, thoughts about not being too harsh on him quickly leaving my mind, just as fast as it came. I couldn't help it, I was angered that my son chose to be close to someone like _Malfoy_. It was so...wrong.

Apparently, my shouts had scared David, because the next thing I know, he's screaming and running away from me, right up to his room. I heard his door slam shut, and I heaved a huge sigh. And here I was thinking, this whole door-slamming would only occur when David became a teenager. How wrong I was.

"You happy now, Fred?" I heard the cold tone, and turned around, only to see Angelina floating just a few feet away from me. I rubbed my head, feeling more tired than ever. Here comes the lecture.

"I thought you said you weren't a judgemental arse? I thought you said you'd consider it? From what I saw just now, you didn't even bother giving the woman a chance to explain," she snapped, her hands crossed across her chest.

"I said I'd consider it, I didn't say I was going to let her treat our son immediately," I retorted.

"How in this ruddy world will you ever find out whether she's good enough if you don't even let her _near_ David, Fred Weasley?!" she yelled, and I gulped. She's angry. And an angry Angelina never meant something good. Of course I'd know that, I've faced her wrath countless times since I started dating her. But something about her demeanour this time told me that I was in for some serious grilling. I figured I should start comforting her before she screamed the house down, or my son thought I was finally going mad since I'm shouting at the wall.

"Listen, Ang, you don't understand–"

"No Fred, _you_ don't understand! This is our son who needs help, it's David! If you can't help him, if you _don't_ want to help him, then nobody will! Haven't I already explained to you that I don't see anything wrong with Aida Malfoy? Didn't I tell you to at least give her a chance? Honestly Fred, I can't believe you're putting your past enmity before your son. I really can't believe this."

I gritted my teeth, my face turning red in both anger and shame. Anger, because the words she was saying were hurtful, shame because in a way, she was right. My past enmity was currently blinding me from seeking help for the sake of my son. Before I could even say anything in my defence, I heard her speak again, this time in a much softer tone. Not that it was any nicer. It was as cold as ever.

"You know, Fred. For the first time since my death, I'm worried for my son. I've always thought that with his father, he'd be all fine and happy," she paused to shake her head. "He is crying in his room, Fred. He's _crying_, and I can't console him," her voice broke, and I looked up to see pools of tears forming in her eyes, threatening to fall. "I can't hold him and tell him it's okay. I can't do anything, I'm just so useless," she cried, the tears finally falling free. I could feel my heart getting twisted in my chest. I caused this. I made her cry. Damn my soul.

"Don't do this to him, Fred. I'm begging you. Help him. Let Aida help him," she whispered again, and before I could as much as move towards her to console her and promise I wouldn't be so foolish again, she vanished. Have I ever mentioned how I _hated_ the whole 'restricted time on Earth' system that she had to abide by?

I sat there, for Merlin knew how long, trying my best to process Angelina's words, and mentally kicked myself. I had hurt her. She was a mother who could never hold her child close and console him, comfort him, and she left the job to me. One single responsibility she had left me to do in this life, and I'm failing her. I felt sick with myself. Even I hated to see David cry. The worst part was, I caused it. In one single day, within one afternoon in fact, I've managed to make two of the people I loved the most in this world cry. Well done, Fredrick Gideon Weasley, _well _done. Git.

It took me a few more moments to collect my thoughts, before starting to move and walk slowly up the stairs. David was crying. Comforting him was my priority right now. Quickly rushing up the stairs, I slipped into David's room as quietly as I could, and see him hugging his pillow, crying into it. Again, I could feel my heart break just a little. I always made everyone laugh; everyone. Why was it so hard for me to make my own son laugh? Is this God's retribution of some sort? For causing so much of trouble before?

But really, I hadn't really hurt anyone _too much_ by doing that, have I?

"Hey," I softly greeted him, nearing him slowly when I saw his head snap up. He began backing up slightly against the wall, and I gave him a smile in hopes that he'd know I wasn't going to scold him. "I'm not going to shout at you, David. I won't. I promise," I told him, shaking my head to prove my point. I then held my hand out for him, and he seemed to hesitate. He kept looking between my hand and my face, as if gauging whether I was going to do something really drastic. But it seemed as if he was satisfied with my demeanour, because after a while, he willingly crawled up to me, placing his tiny head against my chest. I immediately wrapped my arms around him, rocking him as gently as I could. "I'm sorry, David. Daddy's sorry for shouting at you. I promise not to do that," he whispered into his hair, and then placing a kiss on it. He did not say anything, and merely rubbed his eyes to get rid of his tears. Sighing, I slowly laid down on his bed, and hugged my son to me. "And I promise, we will get you help. From the same lady you seem to be so comfortable with," I said. I knew that he might not be able to fully understand what I was saying, but my last words were meant for me. to convince myself that I had to do this, that I had to give Aida Malfoy a chance.

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><p><strong>AN:** Maybe this chapter's a little short? Maybe. But on a brighter note, Aida and Fred might actually have a _civilised_ meeting the next chapter! And I just want to say, thank you if you're still reading this story. And please review.

Pretty please?


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